I crave a life filled with magic in the smallest of things
It's okay, I'll find Fael and it'll all be okay. These are the words she's kept repeating in her head in an attempt to keep herself from panicking more than she already was. Every step Elain takes forward is one of uncertainty, her limbs stiff when she reaches out with one leg to try and feel if anything is in front before she gently places it on the ground. Her heart beats like it'll burst from her chest each time she puts weight on the leg she's reached out with, making her awkwardly slow with her journey forward in something of a shuffle across the lands. Elain wouldn't lie that she's scared, oh she is indeed very, very scared but she's doing her best to keep going. She's putting not only her ears but her long tail to work, swaying it from side to side every few minutes to make sure nothing is behind her while her ears swivel in just about every direction in search of another being. She doesn't know what time it is but she can feel on her skin that the warmth of the sun isn't as strong as it had been before and that the world around her is getting colder with the breeze.
Pausing in her uncertain steps Elain can feel the panic start to crawl under her skin, bringing her tail close to her side the young kirin tips her ears back. "Faelan are you here?" Her call comes out in a croaked whisper, try as she might she can hear the tinge of fear in its tone and hopes no one else has. The blind albino knows that her blindness has given her an upper-hand in her hearing, as well as tones in the voice, because of this she's fairly certain no one will detect that tinge in her call. Then again Elain is just hoping that her brother hears her, or at least that she hasn't given herself away to anything dangerous. This is the singular thought that makes her skin suddenly crawl and urges her forward, her steps a little less careful in preference for a faster paced walk.
With no familiarity of the area Elain is completely unaware that she's heading into the edges of a small cluster of trees, at least not until a lower hanging branch hits her horns, resulting in a shriek and her jumping backwards. It's at this moment that she really can't hide her fear, after all she's never been alone in her life, she can't see where she is, and she's lost her elder brother. Backing away from the tree's she's unsure of what she's hit but lowers her head to point her horns forward just in case. Elain's tail is pulled close to her side while she tries to build up enough courage to say something and when she finally does her voice shakes. "If someone's there say something or...or I'll...I'll use my horns." She knows, she's also sure anyone else would know, that she's not capable of truly hurting someone and that'd she'd likely flee in another direction. Faelan, daddy, someone. I'm scared.
"Talk." Thoughts Eomer
Tags »@Liam and OPEN Voice »Lily Collins OOC » my first time getting to write her, please bear with me -cry-
The meeting with Luvena was nice, and it was well-needed. Inhaling deeply, the copper-burnished stallion walked throughout Eluetheria Plain, impressed by both the sheer size of it, and the beauty of it. Golden plains as far as the eye could see, it was only broken up by the vast bison herds that grazed throughout it, mooing and calling out to one another as they moved. He'd never been here before, and now that he was here, he could see what a damn shame that was. Eluetheria Plain was gorgeous, and somehow, it was warmer here than the Dusk Court, even if by just a few degrees. Liam wasn't entirely sure how that was possible, but he wasn't going to be questioning anything. Still, there was an anxiety-inducing chill to the air, to the breeze that whispered through the long stalks of golden grasses, and his mane and tail whipped away from his body whenever there was a strong gust of that cold, bitter wind. There's an urge deep in his stomach, in his bones to turn tail and run back to the safety of his Court, of his home but he forces himself to stay, to keep walking, to keep going.
There's a sound, deep in the borough of trees off to his left, and while it was nearly impossible to make out, Liam could tell that it was a voice. Flicking an ear backwards in uncertainty, the stallion approaches, nostrils quivering as he tries to scent the air, inhaling the different scents that flowed through the wind. There's a foreign scent that doesn't belong to the grasses or the trees or to the bison, and Liam approaches it carefully, cautiously. As he approaches, the thing he's carefully approaching speaks again, and Liam can't stop himself from laughing softly. "At ease, soldier. M'name's Liam. I'm the Sovereign of the Dusk Court, and I'm not here to hurt you, but I am here to help. Are you okay?" Liam inquired gently, eyes holding concern for the mare in front of him, and he's curious to know why she's threatening a tree. It hits him, then, that she probably couldn't see, which is why she threatened to use her horns. Flicking his ears back, the stallion approaches again, careful in where he's putting his hooves, careful in how he approaches the mare. "Are you by yourself? I don't think I've seen you before, but if you are, you don't have to worry; I'll be happy to help you get where you need to go." Liam advises, his voice gentle and enunciated, making sure that she heard him well enough.
"Liam Speaks."
Notes;; Hi, I love her?!
Tag;; @Elain
Voice claim;; Chris Evans
Words;; 437
I crave a life filled with magic in the smallest of things
Each second that passes without an answer feels like an agonizing hour to the small mare, her ears tipping further back into her snow white hair, while she takes a small step backward. Run. Run. Run. Elain's thoughts get more and more agitated, trying to pull her out of frozen fear. Maybe if the small mare hadn't been so sheltered in her life she'd have a better reaction, wouldn't be so childlike in her innocence. Faelan and her father had always done their best to keep her safe, and she'd always known danger was out there, but she'd never imagined being on her own; she'd never prepared herself to face this.
Her ears snap forward when she hears a laugh and someone approaching before they speak, her face pulling into confusion when she's called a soldier. Soldier, Liam, sovereign. That means they're a leader. Elain's silent for a second while she listens to the questions, she'd admit she's not okay, and she's alone. The gentle tone is enough to make her pull her head up, turn her face towards where she'd heard the voice, and takes a deep breath to calm herself. "I'm sorry, I'm not a soldier." It's clear that Elain's thinking she'd threatened Liam and not the tree. "I just hit my horns on something so I threatened you Liam and I'm sorry." Her ears tip back while she thinks of how to answer his questions, the decision to jump straight into it is what she settles on. "My name is Elain and honestly Liam...I don't think I'm okay. Yes, I am alone. I..I lost Faelan, my brother, and I don't know where I am." While speaking she's actively trying to reach out, taking small steps, in an attempt to find where exactly he is so she's not talking into the wind. "I'm sorry but...where are you?"
As he approaches, Liam watches as the mare's ears snap forward, and he feels bad for giving her what seemed like a scare. Her eyes were silver, and the copper-coated stallion wondered if she could see him. It was a possibility that she couldn't, and the guilt tripled as it ravaged his veins and body. As he speaks, his body relaxes, muscles unclenching, his posture completely changing. This mare wouldn't harm him; she looked too sweet. Further looking her over, Liam can see that she's tense, incredibly so. It's painful to look at her, and all at once, his protectiveness flares, and he wants nothing more than to sweep her up against him and protect her from all the evils of the world. If he were to come home with the mare attached to his side, Bucky would give him an exasperated look, but he'd no doubt welcome her into their fold. Leave it to Liam; he was the rescuer of those downtrodden, tired, hungry masses. He protected those who couldn't protect themselves, and he loved each and every one of them.
Her voice was soft as she spoke, and Liam's heart immediately went out to her. "I didn't think you were, but I was for a long time, and it's a force of habit," he advises her, his gaze turning to the tree in front of her, scarred with marks form her horns. "Miss, you didn't threaten me at all. You did, however, hit a tree with your horns, and you threatened it. In its fear, it appears that the tree dropped all of its leaves," Liam remarks, lips curled into a teasing smile as he approaches her. She gives him her name, and his heart clenches in his chest at how soft and tender she is. Elain was sweet, and this just doubled his desire to clutch her to his chest and rush her home to roost in the Home of Misfits. It needed a better name. "It's very nice to meet you, Elain. I'm incredibly sorry to hear you lost Faelan; would you like help to find him?" Liam questioned gently, timidly closing the distance between them one step at a time. As she asked him where he was, Liam immediately approached her, and he made sure that his voice was warm and tender when he spoke next. "I'm right next to you, Elain, and I'm going to press my side against yours, okay? I'll take you home to the Dusk Court, and then we'll get you settled in, alright?" Liam murmured before attempting to press his right side against her left side, his touch soft and gentle, warm and fatherly. "Is this okay?"
"Liam Speaks."
Notes;; Hi, I love her?!
Tag;; @Elain
Voice claim;; Chris Evans
Words;; 447
I crave a life filled with magic in the smallest of things
She's slow to relax but the kindness and gentle tone in his voice helps her until she's calm enough that her tail is no longer pulled as tightly to her side. His explanation of why he'd called her a soldier piques her interest, her ears twitch in curiosity while she's still searching for him. "Is that why you're a Sovereign then? I've heard good soldiers become leaders from strength. That's never made sense to me though, shouldn't a leader be kind and someone you can trust? Actually, is that why you're a Sovereign?" The knowledge that she's hit a tree, and threatened it, make her stop moving. Both in an attempt to keep from hitting another and because she can feel embarrassment rising in her, this is shown in how her ears tip back. At least until she hears that the tree dropped some of its leaves. Giving a smile she lifts her head a bit high from a small amount of pride, she knows it doesn't make sense to actually make a tree drop leaves from fear but that means she did hit it hard enough, and is tall enough, to at least cause some damage. "Well, I'm glad I didn't threaten you and that I'm at least tall enough to cause some leaves to fall. Usually I'm shorter than a lot of things, especially my father and brother." Maybe he doesn't need to know how tall her family is, or how small she is compared to many things in Aklos, but she shares the information anyways.
Liam's kindness makes her think of her father. because of this she's relaxed enough that her muscles aren't tensed beneath her skin and her leonine tail has pulled fully away from her side to rest behind her. At this moment Elain is once again reaching out, and walking, in an attempt to find him while she listens to him speak. Only stopping when he lets her know where he is and she can hear his voice now next to her on the left. "I would very much appreciate help to find him please, I've never been without Faelan. Or alone actually. Home...Home sounds like a good idea to me Liam, will I be able to stay there though?" She gives a determined nod to confirm that she's okay with him touching her side to lead her along. "It's okay, but please be careful of my scales and horns so that you won't be hurt." Carefully she positions herself next to him so that she's sure they won't hurt him, her head tilted to the right slightly so her horns point away.
As he talks to her, he notices that her tail is no longer pulled as tightly to her side as it had been before. He liked to see that. There were already so many rude and mean equines out there; he just wanted to make sure that there was someone out there who would be nice. He notices the way her ears twitch, and he tilts his head a little in curiosity, his interest piqued by this young girl. "Not exactly, but it's part of the reason," Liam answered, smiling gently at her follow-up questions. "You're a curious one, aren't you? That's good; we need more like you. I am a soldier, yet I'm also kind and trustworthy. What people don't know is that you can be a Sovereign and be all of these things," he responds kindly, cautiously watching Elain stop moving. Before he could ask what was wrong, her ears tip back, and Liam hums softly to himself, wondering if he should admit that he'd done far more embarrassing things. But before he could, Elain gives a smile and lifts her head a bit higher, her pride obviously growing. "I would say you're probably of average height. Perfect height, actually. Not too tall, not too short. Between sixteen and seventeen hands?" Liam guessed, letting his eyes gaze over Elain's frame for a moment.
As he slides his own coat against Elain's, he notices the scales sticking out of her coat. Craning his head around, he innocently inspects one -- and his own side -- before he triumphantly grins, his eyes sparkling. "While I appreciate your warning, Miss Elain, I'm tougher than I sound," he teases warmly, already taking on a fatherly aspect for the young girl. At her question about staying there, Liam looks at her, shocked for a moment, before he nods. "Of course you can. I'll even make sure to put you in a room where there's a straight path from the entrance to your room, okay? I'll even make sure that there's nothing in your path. We don't need you gettin' hurt," the stallion murmurs, nudging Elain's neck gently to let her know that he was fine with her scales and horns. You know, in my homeworld of Agnosia, there were equines of all kinds of backgrounds. We had pegasi, unicorns, pegacorns, literally everything you could possibly think of. The reason I'm tellin' you this is so that you don't have to worry about bein' yourself. I know what it's like to be someone you're not, and it's not fun and it's not easy. You just be yourself if you want, Miss Elain," Liam encourages gently, nudging her neck again to signal that they were getting ready to move.
I crave a life filled with magic in the smallest of things
Listening carefully a mix of confusion and surprise passes over her face. More like me? There's a pang in her chest at the idea. Why would the world need more of her? To Elain she has only ever succeeded in slowing others down by clinging to them like a child, pulling at their metaphorical sleeve. She's been doing it to her twin and father since the day the two had both come into the world; she came second, blind to the world, and had clung to her family from the first second. Her first breath had been a shaky one compared to Faelan, first steps had been slower, chasing after him and forcing him to slow down for her. Every second of Elain's life had been one of her depending on everyone else, keeping others from learning what they could be, and yet here was Liam telling her that the world needed more souls like hers. Not to mention she's had a history of destroying things with her magic though she has yet to feel any hint of it so far, telling her that she can't reach out to it in this world. Her ears tip back at this idea with a faint hint of sadness passing over her face while Elain shakes her head to disagree. "The world doesn't need more of me, I am last one you'd want to duplicate." It's a soft whisper when she speaks, just loud enough to hear, and then she clears her throat, relaxes her ears, and addresses the rest like she had never said those words. "So you are what a Sovereign is supposed to be? What about Sovereign's that are only soldiers or only kind? Can they learn to be both? I think they probably could, you can learn just about everything if you've got enough time and determination." Elain's smile widens at the idea of being the average height because that means she won't be talking to someone's chest as often. Her expression turns to surprise at Liam's guess of how tall she is - he's hit the nail right on the head. "Correct, I'm somewhere between those two. From what I've heard of my family besides my brother and father they're supposed to be quite tall, if I'm correct I believe I'm the shortest."
Elain is careful when he comes to stand by her, even if he says he's tougher than he sounds she doesn't want to risk it. She would hate to admit it but the albino is, in truth, a creature made for destruction; her magic hurts others, her scales cut, and her horns stab. Yet she is the absolute opposite of what she was built for; she is a soft soul, a warm cup of tea in a frigid winter, Elain is the gentle hand that will wipe tears away, and she strives to share this with others. She's still thinking over his words when he says that yes, yes she can stay and that he'll make sure she has a room in a safe place. A smile spread across her face and she nods, grateful at his kindness. "Thank you, I'm grateful for your kindness Liam." Her head turns towards him at his nudge, ears in an alert position as she listens, and a soft smile on her face. "Your homeland sounds magical, I wish I could see it. I...I will try my best to do that." Yes, yes she'll try to be herself as much as she can be. She'll work on accepting the way her magic is, and she'll continue to grow as much as she can.
At his second nudge she steps forward with him towards a new home, a future opening up before her. Elain will work to thrive in his court, to find her twin and her place in Novus.
At the mixture of confusion and surprise on Elain's face, Liam frowns, confusion settling on his own face. Why would the young mare be confused and surprised? Wouldn't she take that as a compliment? There was something beautiful about the young mare, something innocent and breathtaking about her soul. There was something there within her, though, that Liam could sense was holding her back. Regret? Perhaps even fear or guilt? Whatever the emotion was, the copper-coated stallion wasn't going to allow her to feel it any longer; there was no need for it. Not when she was here in Novus, not when this was almost like a new beginning for her. Liam could see — and had even noticed and experienced firsthand — that Elain was blind and needed some sort of guidance. Wasn't that what his job was? Wasn't that part of why he was Sovereign? To help those who couldn't help themselves? Offering a tender smile — mainly to himself — at how Elain's silence had carried over the both of them, the stallion's smile immediately falls as he watches the albino mare's ears turn back and sadness taking over her pretty facial features. In a moment's notice, Liam's voice is soft, tender, comforting.
"Why is that, Ms. Elain? Is there something bad that you've done? Have you taken a life with your own hooves? No? Then I hardly think that you'd be the last one any of us want to duplicate," Liam responds softly, tenderly nudging the top of her head with his muzzle. His touches are fatherly, comforting, letting her know that he was there for her, to support her through everything should she ever need a shoulder to lean on. Humming softly at her questions, Liam laughs softly, the sound nearly breathless as he ponders the answers. "Sovereigns could be lots of different things. Soldiers, like myself, can make pretty decent rulers. We have experience leading all kinds of different personalities and attitudes. We learn on the fly, we adapt and change to whatever situation or scenario is handed to us at that moment. If someone is a Sovereign and is only kind, I think they can learn to be a soldier. Same with a soldier who wants to be kind. It's a long and almost tedious process, but it's one that is certainly worth it," he explains, grinning at how Elain's smile widens.
Everything about the young mare is breathtaking, but the stallion sees it in a fatherly way. The same way that a father views his daughter as the prettiest filly he'd ever seen. Chuckling at how Elain's smile turns once more to surprise, he grins and the expression on his face morphs with the good mood that he's feeling. "If it makes you feel any better, the stallion that I have feelings for is quite a bit taller than I am," he remarks, tensing just the slightest bit. It was the first time he'd told anyone other than Bel about his feelings for Bucky. But the young mare at his side had opened up about her own fathers and her brother, so he knew that he'd find no sort of judgment from her. "Bucky's always been taller than me," he whispers in a conspiring manner, grinning teasingly. "When we were younger, I always told him I'd knock him down to my height to show him a thing or two. Never got around to it. Never really wanted to; just liked messing with him," he teased, good-naturedly.
As Liam comes alongside Elain, he doesn't even notice the gems and scales as they press into his flesh and coat. The thick winter fur keeps him well-protected, and the accelerated healing from his immortality keeps the wounds from getting worse than a tiny pin prick. Their coats mingle together, a startling comparison of the rich, warm, burnished copper color of the chestnut stallion to the bright white of the albino mare. Though built like a freight train and shaped for war and destruction, the stallion is everything but. In life, he was a gentle giant, never really turning a blind eye to someone in need, nor did he turn someone away when they needed help. Gently craning his head and neck in a way that makes it easier for Elain to follow his movements, Liam offers a tender smile, his muzzle brushing against her cheek in a caressing manner, wanting her to forget any and all worries that she may have. Hooves that carried out tasks that he hadn't thought about in decades led them through the snow, toward the Citadel that they would both start to reside in. "No thanks are necessary, Ms. Elain. Really, I'm just here to help in any way that I can," he responds kindly, once more offering her a tender smile.
Knowing that she couldn't exactly see his expressions or anything of that sort, Liam turned his focus on the towering Citadel as they approached it. "It was— something," he responds, voice breaking slightly as he thought about Agnosia and how the world had been nearly torn apart by war after war after war. A soldier through and through, Liam's body had ached and yearned to be thrust back into the bloody throes of war, of getting to have just one more chance at everything. But, thankfully, after having settled down in Novus for quite some time, the burning ache had dulled into something that he didn't even notice most days. "What about you? Where do you hail from? Once we get to the Citadel, which is actually a lot closer than I had expected, I'll get you a room set up. Did you want a fire started for you?"
"Liam Speaks."
Notes;; Somehow I wrote this long reply and didn't realize it o-o
Tag;; @Elain
Voice claim;; Chris Evans
Words;; 947
